Back circulator device



July 14, 1953 a. A. DETERS ETAL BACK CIRCULATOR DEVICE Filed July 23, 1951 INVENTOR$ 40/ MM 10.50725? 84 1/6! ,4. 0575!! Patented July 14, 1953 2,645,288 7 BACK CIRCULATQR DEVICE, V Bruce A. Deters, Glendale, Calif., and William W.

Butler, Sidney, Nebr., assignors, by mesne asslgnments, to Johnston Testers, Inc., Houston, Tex a corporation of Delaware Application July 23, 1951, Serial No. 238,134

6 Claims.

"This invention relates to an oil well tool, particularly to a reverse circulating or back scuttling valve. 1

M In oil well production practice, it is necessary atvarioustimes to circulate drilling mud or other fluid down the annular space between a drill string and a casing or bore, in through a valve in thedrill string and up through the drill string. Sometimes this reverse circulation is performed to back'scuttle gas and oil under control from the drill string, for instance, to eliminate a fire hazard. Also, during the pulling of a drill string,

it is sometimes necessary to reverse circulate to maintain control over the well, which may get somewhat out of control for various reasons, for

instance because the hydrostatic head in the well drops due to the removal of the drill string from the region of thewell fluid, allowing high pressure areas previously controlled by the hydrostatic head to get somewhat out of control.

There have been previous back scuttling valves but, in general, these have been operable only when the string was bottomed or set in the well 'by means of a packer or slips or the like,'these valves being operable by relative movement, ro-- tational orlongitudinal, between the lower part of the drill string, which is fixed in the well and carries one part of the valve, and the upper free part of the drill string which carries the other part of thevalve.

When the necessity for back scuttling or back circulation arises, the back scuttling valve must be opened quickly to enable immediate control over the well to avoid damage and waste. In

many instances, there is not time nor is it practical or in some cases possible to reset a packer or again bottom the drill string to enable opening of a back scuttling or reverse circulation valve.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a back scuttling valve adapted to be connected between sections of drill string, which valve can be. opened when the drill string is .off bottom and without setting .a packer or equivalent device.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a back scuttling valve embodying wardly facing shoulder I9.

the concepts of the present invention being conthe back scuttling valve and a trip valve therebe- 2 low, and showing the back scuttling valve in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to'Fig. 2, showing the back scuttling valve in open position to permit back scuttling or reverse circulation. Fig; 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the manner of supporting the sleeve within the valve.

The invention will be described with reference to' 'a drill string having a back scuttling valve embodying the'concepts of the present invention connected thereinabove a connate sample tester connected on the lower end of the drill string and below the back scuttling valve, but this description is not intended to limit the invention but merely to illustrate a practical application of the back scuttling valve.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the drill string disclosed in Fig. 1 includes a connate sample tester generally entitled A, having a trip valve assembly B, said parts being disposed below a reverse circulation, or back scuttling valve assembly C, which in turn is connected to the upper portion of the-drill string, not shown.

|4 threadedly received within threaded bores formed in the walls of tubular housing Ill, said bushings providing ports I5 communicating the exterior of the housing with the interior of the housing.

The interior of tubular housing In is formed with a counterbore l1 defined in part by adown- A sleeve 2| is disposed within counterbore I! and arranged against shoulder [9 so as to cover the ports |5 when the sleeve is in closed position, as the parts are depicted in Fig. 2, and to uncover ports l5 when the sleeve is moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. 0 rings 23 are disposed Within annular grooves 25 formed in the interior of tubular housing l0 and adapted to sealingls engage sleeve 2| to. prevent leakage of fluid around sleeve 2| into or out of housing In through ports l5.

Sleeve 2| has a pair of downwardly extending arms 21 disposed inwardly of downwardly facing shoulders 28 formed in sleeve 2| and being formed with'rabbeted portions at 29 engaging internally threaded portion of tubular housing As shown in Fig. 4, each of the rabbeted portions 29 rests mainly on a pair of the deformable fingers 3! and to a minor extent on a second spaced pair of deformable fingers "disposed one on either side of the first mentioned pair 'ofde formable fingers. 1

"Sleeve 2| is provided with a downwardly con verging impact surface 3'! which faces generally V upwardly so as to be engaged by a reverse circulation valve go-devil 39 which is adapted to be dropped down the drill string from the sur-' face and strike the converging impact surfaceifl forcing sleeve 2| downwardly to deform fingers 3|. When sleeve 2| is so forced downwardly, deforming the fingers 3| upon which arms Z'l'rest, the deformed portions of the fingers grip or frictionally engage sleeve 2| so as to prevent any subsequent upward movement of sleeve 2| without overcoming this gripping-effect or the, deformed fingers. Y

'One practical application of-the reverse circulation valve C is disclosed in Fig. 1 where it is connected in the'drill string at a point above the connate sample tester A which may be of any perforated anchor 45 at the lower end thereof through which the connate fluid passes into the tester. There are various valves within the tester not necessary here to describe for shutting in and retainin the sample after the sample fiows upwardly into the tester and drill string. There is a trip valve assembly at B in the type of tester disclosed which has a trip valve 41 adapted to be tripped by a trip valve go-devil which is dropped from the surface. Trip valve 41 is tripped to permit the connate fluid to flow up wardly past the trip valve and into the drill string.

In operation, a string as disclosed in Fig. 1 is lowered in the well, the packer 4| set, and the various valves within the tester opened to permit the fluid to flow upwardly to the trip valve 41.

A trip valve go-devil, which is of a size to pass through sleeve 2| without forcing the sleeve downwardly, is then dropped down the drill string andstrikes trip valve 41, tripping the valve and 7 allowing the connate fluid to flow upwardly into the drill string. The trip valve 4'! is preferably spaced by suitable sections of drill string (not shown but indicated by the break in Fig. .1 between the reverse circulation valve andthe trip valve) approximately a hundred or more feet from the reverse circulation valve C. Connate fiuid may and usually does flow upwardly past the back circulating valve. After the sample is trapped, the drill strin may be removed and the sample recovered.

It may be that the connate fluid flowing into the tester contains a high percentage of gasof a very volatile nature and also the fiuid may be under fairly high pressure, thereby creating a fire hazard at the surface unless the connate fluid is brought to the surface under control. If the conditions creating a fire hazard are realized before the packer 4| is collapsed, a reverse circulation valve in the tester itself can be operated to communicate the annular space between the cas-' ing- A3 and the tester A with the interior of the tester-to allow circulating'mud or fluid to be forced downwardlybthrough the annular space between the string and casing, through the reverse circulating valve in the tester and up the drill string to force gas and oil upwardly through the drill string to the surface under control.

It frequently happens, however, that after the --packer 4| has been collapsed and the string is in the process of being pulled that it is neces-- sary to back circulate'to bring fluid to the surface under control or to maintain complete control over the well, or for various other reasons well known in the art. Under these conditions," it is usually imperative that back circulation'be estab lished immediately, and it may not be practical 'wall 31, forcing sleeve 21 or possible to reset the packer because of the conditions in the well, and, therefore, a reversecirculation valve g'o-devil 39can be dropped through the drill string to strike the impactsu'rface of downwardly, until shoulders 28 engage annulus33, to uncover, ports |5' allowing drilling mud to be reverselycirculated, therefore reassuming control over the well or otherwise achieving the results desired..-It is pointed out that the portions of the connate fluid below the. reverse circulation valve may be brought to the surface by removal of 'the drill strin after the reverse circulation operation is completed. By the present invention, a reverse circulation valve has been provided which can be connected in a drill string and be opened when the drill string is off bottom without setting a packer or' equivalent device. Obviously, the reverse circu lation valve could be used to merely open them- 7 than testing.

terior of the drill string to the exterior for other purposes as desired. It can also belocated at different places along the drill string'and provided in drill strings built up for otherpurposes Having thus described my invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In combination with a drill pipe to be suspended in a well bore having a formation tester suspended'from its lower end, such tester includmg a packer to divide the bore into an upper zone and a lower zone, said tester including operable valves to open and close said tester to admit fluid therein from the lower zone and to close the tester against loss of said fluid from the tester, of a reverse circulating valve interposed in said drill pipe a substantial distance above the tester packer whereby a sample of formation fluid may be entrapped therebelow, said reverse circulatin valve comprising a tubular valve housing having a port in its wall communicating the exterior of the housing with the interior of' the housing, a a means for connecting the housing between two sections of drill pipe, a'sleeve slidably disposed within the housing and covering said port, and

impact responsive means for releasably retaining the sleeve in such position responsive to an imincluding an annulus having inwardly extending deformable fingers upon which said sleeve is supported, an impact producin member having a dimension greater than an internal dimension of the sleeve whereby dropping said member down the drill pipe against said sleeve effects downward movement of the sleeve to port uncovering position to enable circulation of fluid downwardly externally oi the drill pipe, through said port and upwardly through said drill pipe above the trapped sample.

2. In combination with a drill pipe to be suspended in a well bore having a formation tester suspended from its lower end, such tester including a packer to divide the bore into an upper zone and a lower zone, said tester including operable valves to open and close said tester to admit fluid therein from the lower zone and to close the testeragainst .loss'of said fluid from the tester, of a reverse circulating valve interposed in said drill pipe a substantial distance above the housinghavlng an internally threaded counterbored portion below the first named counterbored tester packer whereby a sample of formation fluid i position COVEliIlg the port responsive to an impact to release the sleeve for downward movement to uncover the port, the last named means including an annulus having inwardly extending member down the drill pipe against saidsleeve i eflects downward movement of the sleeve to port uncovering position to enable circulation of fluid downwardly externally of the drill pipe, through said port and upwardly through said drill pipe above the trapped sample.

3. In combination with a drill pipe to be suspended in a well bore having a formation tester suspended from its lower end, such tester including a packer to divide the bore into an upper zone and a lower zone, said tester including operable valves to open and close said tester to admit fluid therein from the lower zone and to close the tester against loss of said fluid from the tester, of a reverse circulating valve interposed in said drill pipe a substantial distance above the tester packer whereby a sample of formation fluid may be entrapped therebelow, said reverse circulating valve comprising a tubular valve housing having a port in its wall communicating the exterior of the housing with the interior of the housing, means for connecting the housing between two sections of drill pipe, said tubular valve housing having a counterbored portion therewithin providing a downwardly facing shoulder, a sleeve valvemember slidably disposed within the counterbored portion of the valve housing and against Ill portion providing a second downwardly facing shoulder, the last named means including an annulus disposed against the second named shoulder and having inwardly extending deformable fingers upon which said arms bear to support the sleeve, the first named means including a sub threadedly received by'the threaded counterbored portion and operable to clamp said annulus in place against the second named shoulder, an impact producing member having a dimension greater than an internal dimension of the sleeve whereby dropping said member down the drill pipe against said sleeve eifects downward movement of the sleeveto port uncovering position to enable circulation of fluid downwardly externally of the'drill pipe, through said port and upwardly through said drill pipe above the trapped sample.

4. In combination with a drill pipe to be suspended in a well bore having a formation tester suspended from its lower end, such tester including a packer to divide the bore-into an upper zone and a lower zone, said tester including operable valves to open and close said tester to admit fluid therein from the lower zone and to close the tester against loss of said fluid from the tester, of a reverse circulating valve interposed in said drill pipe a substantial distance above the tester packer whereby a sample of formation fluid may be entrapped therebelow, said reverse circulating valve comprising a tubular valve housin having a port in its wall communicating the exterior of the housing with the interior of the housing, means for connecting the housing between two sections of drill pipe, said tubular valve housing I having a counterbored portion therewithin providing a downwardly facing shoulder, a sleeve valve member slidably disposed within the counterbore'dportion of the valve housing and against the shoulder and having downwardly extending arms, impact responsive means for releasably retaining the sleeve in a position covering the port responsive to an impact to release the sleeve for downward movement to uncover the port, said housin having an internally threaded counterbored portion below the first named counterbored portion providing a second downwardly facing shoulder, the last named means including an annulus disposed against the second named shoulder and having inwardly extending deformable fingers upon which said arms bear to support the sleeve, the first named means including a sub threadedly received by the threaded counterbored portion and operable to clamp said annulus in place against the second named shoulder, and sealing means carried by the housing at the interior thereof and disposed around the port for sealing against the sleeve, an impact producing member having a dimension greater than an internal dimension of the sleeve whereby dropping said member down the drill pipe against said sleeve effects downward movement or the sleeve to port uncovering position to enable circulation of fluid downwardly externally of the drill pipe, through said port and upwardly through said drill pipe above the trapped sample.

5. In combination with a drill pipe to be suspended in a well bore having a formation tester suspended from its lower end such tester including a packer to divide the bore into an upper zone and a lower zone, said tester including operable valves to open said tester to admit fluid therein from the lower zone and to close the tester against the loss of said fluid from the tester into the tester and drill pipe and be entrapped therein, of a reverse circulating valve interposed in said drill pipe a substantial distance above the tester packer whereby a sample of formation fluid may be entrapped therebelow, said reverse circulating valve comprising a tubular valve housing the tester below the packer and pass upwardly having a port in its all communicating the ex- 7 terior of the housing with the interior of the housing, means for connecting the housing be tween two sections of drill pipe, a sleeve slidably disposed within the housing and covering said port, an impact responsive means for releasably retaining the sleeve in said port covering position and responsive to impact to release the sleeve for downward'movement to uncover the port, an impact producing member having a dimension Wardly through said drill pipe above said entrapped sample.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in i which the impact responsive means for releasably retaining the sleeve in said port covering position and responsive to impact to release the sleeve for downward movement to uncover the port comprises a permanently deformable element fixedly arranged in the path'of travel of the sleeve in moving to port uncovering position so as to frictionally engage the sleeve after the sleeve has been forced downward and has permanently deformed the element, which engagement acts to retain the sleeve in port uncovering position. 7

BRUCE A. DETERS.

WILLIAM W.-BU'ILER.

Number Name 1,906,891 White May 2, 1933 Baker et al. Jan. 3, 1950 

